"¡Papa! ¡Me da vergüenza!"

With Roger and Anais

Hola, Querida Familia!
After one of the hardest weeks of my mission, I want to make sure that you all know without a doubt that I have a testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His perfect, infinite Atonement. 

Missionary work is hard enough as it is, but it's even harder when you don't feel your best emotionally--when Satan creeps in your head and tempts you to let yourself be distracted by thoughts of your family, your friends, and what you would be doing if only you were at home. I'm going to admit it--he sure did a number on me this week. I really struggled. Never for one moment did I want to go home, but I had a really hard time being here mentally or emotionally. I felt that I had a little gray raincloud over my head the entire week, and although the occasional spiritual experience would allow rays of sunshine to break through and heal my heart a little bit, I ended the week feeling just as miserable as I had started it. 

This morning, I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. I can't work like this. I don't want to have ANY regrets when I finish my mission, and I know that I will if I keep feeling so down and unable to give this my all. With that decision in mind, I prayerfully read my patriarchal blessing and, following the counsel of Elder Scott yesterday, offered up my whole soul in prayer to my Heavenly Father. 

For those of you who haven't experienced the exquisite healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I invite you to turn to Him in your hour of need and let Him heal you. In the midst of my tears and the pain in my heart, I testify to you that He healed me. He lifted the weight from my heart, replaced my little gray raincloud with sunshine, and helped me, through the Spirit, to understand exactly what I need to do this week to overcome the temptations of my adversary and move forward in this work of the Lord with renewed enthusiasm and peace. 

I wrote a few weeks ago about keeping our focus on the Savior, like Peter, and that when we do so, we will not fall. I think I had forgotten that I also need to apply my advice to myself, but Heavenly Father helped me to understand this morning that it is essential to keep our sights in every moment on the Savior. If we serve our missions for Him--not for our companions, not for our leaders, and not for our families, but for our Savior, who gave His life so that we could have a gospel to share--we will not fall. He will give us the strength we need to overcome every temptation and trial that comes from the adversary, and we will emerge victorious at the end. 

I know that our Savior is the one constant that we can hang onto in this life. Turn to Him with your troubles, with your trials, and with your weaknesses--with your broken hearts and tears and unfruitful searches for peace in other places--and He WILL heal you. He beckons all of us to come unto Him and to be made whole. I love my Savior. I am here in Chile for Him, because He needs my voice to share the message of His redeeming love with my brothers and sisters here in the Misión Viña del Mar, and because He needs my hands to lift up the hands that hang down and point the broken-hearted to the source of all peace--the very Prince of Peace. He has healed my broken heart, and He gives me the quiet strength that I need to continue moving forward. I know that each season of trial in our life will truly be for our good, but I also know that our Savior can lift us up and help us through even the gloomiest of seasons--He wants us to rely on Him because He knows that with His help, we will emerge triumphant. I know that this is true, and I am grateful that my Father in Heaven saw fit to teach me a powerful lesson of His love and the healing power of His Son's infinite atonement this morning in my apartment in Quillota, Chile.

With Elder Isabel (our DL), Victor, and Hna. Soñia Munoz

By way of other news, Victor had his baptismal interview last night and is all ready to go for his wedding this week and baptism on Sunday! Also, Roger came to Conference yesterday and had a really good experience, and Anais (his daughter) came with us to watch General Conference all day on Saturday and absolutely LOVED it! She is an angel, and it was incredible to have her there with us. Anais truly has her sights set on the temple, which is such a miracle to me--she wants to go there so badly and then to serve a mission and be married for time and all eternity in the temple, too. Anais and Roger have completely changed my life. They are so ready, and I have no doubt that they will be faithful members of the church for the rest of their lives. People like them are the reasons that the youth of the church are serving missions. They have impacted and changed my life--and not only for this life, but also for eternity.

With Anais at General Conference

General Conference was awesome! I think President Eyring's talk was my very favorite--when he stood up and started speaking, the tears began streaming down my cheeks. He was talking directly to me. I love our prophet and His apostles, and I know without a doubt that this church is true. It is the church of Jesus Christ upon the earth in these latter days. I challenge you all to watch General Conference if you haven't yet, and to make the effort to apply the things you learned in the coming days and weeks and months until the April General Conference arrives! Let's take the best advantage that we can of the opportunity to listen to the words of God's prophets.:)

I love you all so much, and I hope you have a wonderful week! Never forget to turn to the Savior, and keep your sights on Him. He will build you up, give you strength, and never let you fall. I love my Savior, and I know that He lives. This is His church, and I am His representative. What a privilege it is to wear His name over my heart every single day for 18 months. I hope I can become a little better every day and eventually become a little more like the Master that I serve.

I love you all! Keep smiling, and have the best week in the world! Le quiero para eternidad!:)

Con Todo Mi Amor,
Hermana Sanford

My District

Almuerzo with Chriss